Piston packing ring



Feb. 26, 1924. 1.485328 F. E. SMALL PISTON PACKING RING Filed June 14 1923 Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

FRANK E. sMALn'or JAMAICA, NEW Yoax PISTON PACKING RING.

Application filed June 14, 923. Serial No. 645,361.

To aZZ'wh0m -it may concern:

Be it known thatiI, FRANK E. SMALL,'a cit-izen of the UnitedSt-ates, and a resident of Jamaica, L. I., inthe county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements inPiston Packing Rings, of which the'followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to packing rings for pistons, especially designed for the use in internal combustion engines. The packing is of'the type of a split metal ring placed inagroove in the piston and pressed outwardly to engage the wall of the cylinder, with means for maintaining. such engagement notwithstanding wear of both the wall of the cylinder and of the ring itself.

The object of'the present invention is to provide a split ringof this character, that has inter-locking nd portions, with means such as a notch on each end portion, preferably back of the interrlocking portions, that can each be readily engaged by a suitable tool having jaw members for engaging the notches respectively, or by two separate implements, with each engaging one of such notches, whereby the inter-locking ends can be caused to approach from their separated, expanded position, and thereby be brought to inter-engage; which operation can be affected by inserting the said ring at the bottom of the piston groove, to cause the ring to remain in the bottom of the groove by locking of these end portions.

In the accompanying drawing showing embodiments of my invention, Figure 1, shows the outer'ring. A

Fig. 2 shows the inner spring ring.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, broken, enlarged.

Fig. 4: shows enlarged the locking ends of the inner ring.

Fig. 4 is an inside view of one end of the locking ring shown in Figure 4.

Fig. 5 shows another form of inter-locking ends, provided with notches.

In the drawing I show an outer ring 2 that has split ends of any desired form of lap. This ring 2 is shown approximately rectangular in general outline, of a size to fit in a groove 3 in a piston wall 4. see Fig. 3. For the purpose of pressing this main ring outwardly in the groove to hold it in engagement with the wall of the cylinder not shown, I provide a spring expander ring 5, that is split and is made substantially quadrant shape in section, see Fig. l. This ring comprises a. straight side wall 6, and an inner wall 7 that is cylindrical. The curved wall 8 of thisring corresponds to a quadrant in section.

The main ring 2 has an inner corner poi.- tion cut away to form a curved wall 9, extending froman' intermediate portion of the sidewall 10- of this ring to an intermediate part of thefinner wall'12 of the main ring,

seeFig. 3. This curved wall 9 corresponds.

to the curved wall 8 of the ring 5, so that when the rings are brought together, as indicated in Fig. 3, they will closely engage. This will bring the side face 6 of the split ring to engage the side walllOof the main ring; and also the inner wall 7 of the spring ring will register with the inner wall 12 of the main ring, as shown. These two rings are placed in the piston groove 3 as indicated in Fig. 3 and the engagement of the curved walls of the two rings will result in thefinner spring ring forcing the main ring outwardly and it will hold it engaging the wall of thecy'linder at its'outer face.

' -I further provide meansfor interlocking the end portionsof the splitring 5, and in Figs. 3. 4 and-5 I show the ends portions of these rings provided with integral hook pore tions 14 and 15 on "the respective ends, that engage each other as indicated inFig. 2.

- These hook portions are preferably formed in the side walls 6 and 801? the ring 5, with a considerable space at 21 and 22 so that when this ring is first inserted in the groove and pressed downto the bottom wall 3, the

hook portions will overlap, and then as the ring is released it will spring outwardly a short distance in the groove until the hook portions engage and interlock. obviously retain this ring in the bottom of the groove. The outer ring 2 is then inserted and the curved wall 9 thereof will engage the quadrant wall 80f the inner ring and the piston is just placed in the cylinder engaging the outer ring will hold it inthe groove and force the inner, ring inwardly to disengage the meeting walls of the hook portions. Obviously the latter should so fit that this inner ring can expand sufficiently to hold the outer ring engaging the cylinder wall to take up wear on the ring and the cylinder wall, before the hook portions wil engage to interlock.

Where it is needed to insert the inner spring ring 5 in the bottom of a piston This will groove, where grooves are comparatively narrow, as is the present tendency, it has been very difficult to cause the engagement of the inner-loeking'ends, To facilitate this, I provide each of the end portions of this ring with means for ready engagement with the suitable implement or tool, such as one having jaws; or which portions can be engaged by two implements or devices, which are caused to approach, that will tend to draw these ends together-and permit them to intor-lock. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, I provide notches 17 and 18 in the end portions of the ring 5, that are located back of the interlocking portions, that are reduced in size from the normal shape of the ring between these end portions. These notches preferably are in the side which'is outermost whenthe ring is insertedin thegroove, and may be slightly inclined downwardly and forwardly toward that endportion of the ring, as clearly shown. It will be readily understood that an implement having jaws can be brought to engage these notches by fine jawsrespectively, and then as the jaws approach these ends will be drawn to'permit the inter-locking of the ends at the bottom of the groove 8, when released by these implements. But these notches-can be engaged by a separate implement, such as the file end, and which are moved to approach and produce the same result.

In Fig. 5, I show a slight modification in which the rings 7 and 8' have inter-locking end portionslt and have the locking portions at the side walls of the groove. These ring ends are provided with notches 17 and 18that correspond with the notches 17 and 18 as shown. in Fig. 4:, and can be engaged by suitable implement, or two of them in the same manner set forth.

A device of this character is very simple 7 and easily produced, it being merely necessary to make proper notches in the desired edge or face of the ring. The inner ring, that is of a resilient structure, is so designed for the-size of the piston and its groove,

that when inserted it will practically or a1- most close when brought to the position of inter-lock, and then when released, it will spring outwardly a very small distance or amount. It will be further understood that when the outer or packing ring is applied, this inner ring can not expand and force the packing ring outwardly inthe piston groove, which will permit easy insertion of the packed piston into its cylinder. In such case the outer ring is forced inwardly a small amount, and the inter-locking heads of the inner spring ring will permit slight approach of such ends, in case the inner ring is forced down to the bottom of the piston groove. It will also be understood that in use, the inner spring ring is permitted by its inter-locking heads to expand sufficiently to force the outer ring outwardly against the wall of the cylinder.

hat I claim is 1. A pistonpacking ring comprising an outer split ring, and an inner split ring of resilient material, said rings having cooperating faces whereby the inner ring will press the outer ring outwardly in the piston groove, said inner ring being provided with interlocking end portions adapted to engage on insertion to permit a limited outward movement of the ring, said inner ring being also provided with a notch at each end forming shoulders adapted to each be pressed toward the other end to effect the engagement of the said interlocking end portions in the piston ring. I

2. A piston packing ring comprising asplit ring provided with interlocking end portions adapted to engage on insertion to permit a limited outward movement of the ring, said ring being also provided with notch portions forming shoulders adapted to each be pressed toward the other end to effect the engagement of the said interlocking end portions in the piston ring.

Signed at New Yor N. Y.,on June 11th,

FRANK E. SMALL. 

